1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capped liquid container that retains liquid to be supplied to the recording devices of an ink jet recording apparatus. The invention also relates to a cap.
2. Related Background Art
The liquid used as a recording liquid for an ink jet recording apparatus is retained in a liquid container. The liquid container is unsealed when new recording liquid should be filled into an ink jet recording apparatus. Then, the liquid retained in the liquid container is ready to use. Here, in conjunction with FIG. 19, the description will be made of the conventional liquid container with a cap attached to it for use of an ink jet recording apparatus.
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view which shows the conventional liquid container with a cap attached to it. As shown in FIG. 19, the conventional liquid container having the cap attached to it is provided with a supply opening 102 on the liquid container 101 serving as a container to retain liquid in it. An elastic plate member 104 is pressed from outside the container by means of a cap external member 105 so that it abuts upon this supply opening 102, thus sealing the liquid container 101 to retain liquid inside the container. The cap external member 105 is arranged to extend vertically along both sides of the container from both edges of the surface. The elastic plate member 104 is then pressed to abut upon the supply opening 102. On each face of the leading ends of the cap external member, which is in contact with the liquid container, the click nail 106 is formed. Also, grooves are formed on the side faces of the liquid container 101 to engage with the click nails 106, respectively. In this manner, with the elastic plate member 104 sandwiched between the supply opening 102 and the cap external member 105, the click nails 106 are caused to engage with the grooves of the liquid container 101, thus hooking the cap external member 105 to the liquid container 101. Now, the liquid container 101 will be described further in detail.
FIGS. 20A and 20B are cross-sectional views which illustrate the liquid container 101 represented in FIG. 19. FIG. 20A shows the entire body of the liquid container 101. FIG. 20B is an enlarged view of the supply opening shown in FIG. 20A. As shown in FIG. 20A, the supply opening 102 extrudes from one face of the liquid container 101. The leading end of the extruded supply opening 102 has an acutely angled portion 107 as shown in FIG. 20B. The elastic plate member 104 is pressed to abut upon this acutely angled portion 107 at the leading end of the supply opening 102. Then, the acutely angled portion 107 is arranged to bite in the elastic plate member 104 to produce the sealing effect on the contact surface between the supply opening 102 and the elastic plate member 104. Thus, the liquid container 101 is sealed to retain liquid 103 in it.
However, if the water tightness and air tightness should be made higher for the conventional liquid container with the cap attached to it, there is a need for the enhancement of pressure exerted by the elastic plate member on the supply opening of the liquid container. When the pressure is increased, the stress is exerted more on the cap external member which is pressed to abut upon the elastic plate member. This stress causes the creep deformation of the cap external member, resulting in the reduction of the contact area between the supply opening and the elastic plate member. There is a possibility that the water tightness and the air tightness of the liquid container are lowered after all.
Also, if more stress is exerted on the cap external member to press the elastic plate member, a greater external force is needed to remove the cap external member from the liquid container. There is a fear that the operativity becomes unfavorable in this respect.
Further, when the click nails of cap external member should be disengaged from the grooves of the liquid container for the removal of the cap external member from the liquid container, an external force may be given so that the side faces of the liquid container are pressed inwardly in some cases. In such a case, the liquid container is to be unsealed while pressure is being exerted in the interior of the liquid container. As a result, there is a fear that the moment the liquid container is open, liquid in the liquid container is allowed to spread.
The present invention is designed with a view to solving the problems existing in the conventional art. It is an object of the invention to provide a capped liquid container whose cap that closes the supply opening formed for the liquid container has a lesser degree of creep deformation or the like and provides a higher water tightness and air tightness when recording liquid or the like is retained in the liquid container for use of an ink jet recording apparatus.
Also, it is another object of the invention to provide a capped liquid container having a good operativity to open the liquid container easily without allowing liquid retained in it to spread when the liquid container is unsealed.
In order to achieve the objects described above, the capped liquid container of the present invention comprises a liquid container retaining liquid, having a supply opening formed for supplying the liquid to the recording devices of an ink jet recording apparatus; and a cap fixed to the liquid container for closing the supply opening, the cap being removed from the liquid container by rotating the cap. This cap is formed by a rigid member and an elastic member, and the elastic member is provided with first engagement means, and second engagement means is formed on the edge circumference of the supply opening to engage with the first engagement means. Then, the first engagement means and the second engagement means are pressed to be joined together, and at the same time, a part of the rigid member of the cap is fixed to the liquid container.
Also, in order to achieve the objects described above, the cap of the present invention is arranged to close a liquid container. This cap is fixed to the supply opening of the liquid container for supplying liquid retained in the liquid container to the recording devices of an ink jet recording apparatus. The cap is formed by a rigid member and an elastic member. Then, first engagement means which is provided for the elastic member is pressed to join second engagement means which is provided for the supply opening, and at the same time, a part of the rigid member of the cap is fixed to the liquid container.
Further, the liquid container of the present invention is arranged to retain liquid, having a supply opening formed for supplying the liquid to the recording devices of an ink jet recording apparatus. Then, a cap is fixed to the supply opening for closing the liquid container, and removed from the liquid container by rotating the cap. Also, the supply opening is provided with second engagement means to engage with first engagement means provided for this cap. The second engagement means is pressed to join the first engagement means.
As described above, a capped liquid container of the present invention comprises a liquid container having a supply opening formed for it; and a cap fixed to the liquid container for closing the supply opening airtightly. The cap is removed from the liquid container when it is rotated to unseal the capped liquid container. The cap is formed by a rigid member and an elastic member. First engagement means is provided for the elastic member, and second engagement means is provided for the edge circumferential portion of the supply opening to engage with the first engagement means. The first and second engagement means are pressed to be joined together. At the same time, a part of the rigid member of the cap is fixed to the liquid container. In this manner, the elastic first engagement means is deformed to agree with the compressed shape of the contact surface of the second engagement means, thus the contact surface between the first and second engagement means produces the sealing effect to close the liquid container. Also, a part of the rigid member of the cap is fixed to the liquid container, thus making it difficult to cause creep deformation even when stress is exerted on the rigid member by the pressurized contact between the first and second engagement means. As a result, there is no possibility to spoil the sealing effect produced by the contact surface between the first and second engagement means. Further, when the capped liquid container thus structured is unsealed, the cap fixed to the liquid container is removed by the application of shearing force exerted by the rotation of the cap. Therefore, no external force is given to side faces of the liquid container when the cap is open. There is no possibility that liquid in the interior of the liquid container is caused to spread.